Vegell



April 20, 1954 A. VEGELL 5,7

WEB TENSION RETAINING DEVICE FOR ROTARY PRINTING MACHINES Filed July 21. 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

" 411a): Vyell BY ATTORNEYS April 20, 1954 Filed July 21, 1948 ELL 2,675,756

A. VEG WEB TENSION RETAINING DEVICE FOR ROTARY PRINTING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTbR. I Alla I/e ell ATTORNEYS A. VEGELL WEB TENSION RETAINING DEVIC FOR ROTARY PRINTING MACHINE A ril 20, 1954 Filed July 21, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. Allan Ueyell ii/ ATTORNEYS A ril 20, 1954 A. VEGELL WEB TENSION RETAINING DEVICE FOR ROTARY PRINTING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 21, 1948 IN !/E N TOR Allan Vega/l A Hornays April 20, 1954 L. 2,675,756 WEB TENSION RETAINING DEVICE FOR ROTARY PRINTING MACHINES Filed July 21, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 l/VVE/VTUR I A //an Ve g e Attorneys Patented Apr. 20, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WEB TENSION RETAINING DEVICE FOR ROTARY PRINTING MACHINES Allan Vegell, Elmhurst, 111., assignor to Standard Process Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application July 21, 1948, Serial No. 39,919

11 Claims. (or. 101-247) 1 2 This invention relates to printing presses and Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken submore particularly to web tensioning devices which stantially on line 22 of Figure 1 and illustratretain the Web at a constant tension when the ing chiefly the impression roll lifting mechanism;

impression roll is separated from the printing roll Figure 3 is an elevational view partly in secof a printing couple. The present application is tion of one of the impression roll supports and a continuation-in-part of my pending applicaillustrating various web engaging rollers; tion Serial No. 695,955, filed September 10, 1946, Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 now abandoned. of Figure 3;

It is often necessary to separate the impression Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevation illusroll from th printing roll during printing a a trating another embodiment of the invention convenient method of inspecting or cleaning the having means movable with th impression roll printing or impression rolls, and considerable and web tensioning means for automatically takdifiiculty has been encountered in that such sepaing up slack in a drive chain for a web drying ration usually disturbs registry of the Web with cylinder; and the printing roll, a condition that must be cor- Figure 6 is an end elevation thereof. rected by adjustment. This produces waste and Like reference characters indicate like parts loss of time. throughout the several views.

The major object of this invention is therefore Referring to Figures 1 and 2, numeral l0 desigto provide a novel web tensioning device in a nates a printing press having vertical sid frame printing apparatus which retains the web under members ll rigid with a base [2. A printing roll constant tension when the impression roll is sepa- I3 is journalled in the frame members I I in suitrated from the printing roll and which returns able bearing assemblies as at M. the web to exact registry with the printing roll An impression roll I6 is journalled at each when the printing couple is returned to operaend in a carrier I! in suitable bearing assemtive position, blies l8. The axes of rolls l3 and I6 are hori- It is a further object of this invention to prozontal and parallel. Each carrier I1 is vertically vide novel related and oppositely movable rollers slidably mounted in a guide bracket I9 (Figures which cause the web to remain under a constant 3 and 4) which is formed from frame H and two tension when the impression roll is separated angle pieces 2| secured to the frame by any suitfrom and returned toward the printing roll. able means such as bolts 22. Angle pieces 2| A further object of this invention is to provide are spaced to receive opposite edges 20 of carrier a positive separating mechanism which disenl1 and to guide vertical slidable movement of gages and engages the printing couple Without the carrier in bracket I9. affecting registry of the web with the printing Each carrier Il comprises the lower end of an roll. impression roll support 23 which is mounted on An additional object of the invention, in one a horizontal shaft 24. The ends of shaft 24 are embodiment thereof, resides in the provision of journalled in suitable bearing assemblies 26 and a web guiding roll, in the form of a drying cyl- 21 in frame H and retaining member 28 respecinder for the web movable with the impression tively. Retainers 28 prevent axial movement of roll relative to the printing roll, together with supports 23 on shaft 24 and are secured to frame a flexible drive element for rotating said cylin- H by suitable bolts 29.

der at synchronized speed With the movement Shaft 24 has a central section 3| with stub of the paper web and means simultaneously opshafts 32 and 33 axially connected thereto by erable with the web tensioning means in relacollars 34 which telescope adjacent ends of the tive movement between the impression roll and 5 shafts and are fastened thereon as by tapered printing roll to automatically take up slack in pins 36 which extend through aligned holes in said flexible driving element. the collar and shafts. The provision of a sec- Further objects of the invention will presently tional shaft 24 allow greater ease of assembly of appear as the description proceeds in connection the parts.

with the appended claims and the annexed draw- Each of the stub shafts 32 and 33 has an enings in which: larged, eccentric cam portion 31 around which Figure l. is aside elevational view of a printthe upper end of each support 23 is journalled ing press illustrating roll separating and web tenfor a purpose to be later described. A ring gear sion maintaining apparatus according to a pre- 38 is keyed to the inner end of shaft 33 and held ferred embodiment of the invention; against axial movement by collar 34 and retainer 28. On the outer end of shaft 33, a hub 39 is keyed and is held in place by set screw 4|. A radial handle 42 is removably secured to a reduced portion of the hub, and shaft 24 may be rotated about its axis by turning handle 42.

Shaft 24 may also be rotated by motor 43 which is secured in any suitable manner to a tubular frame cross member 44 extending between the side frames l I of the printing press. Drive shaft 48- of motor 43 has a gear 41 slidably splined thereto and designed to engage with gear 38 to impart mechanical rotation to shaft 24. Gear 41 has an elongated hub portion 48 which is secured in a cup-shaped member 49 by means of a set screw A shaft 52 is secured in the bottom of cup-shaped member 49 by set screw 53, and its opposite end is slidably mounted in a disk 59 carrying a ball and spring detent assembly 54. Disk 58 is bolted to frame II by bolts 55. A knob 56 is fastened to the extreme -end of shaft 52 to the right. Two annular grooves -57 are provided in shaft 52 and they cooperate with detent assembly 54 to lock gear 41 in the desired position. A stop 58 is fastened to shaft j52 in any suitable manner and it prevents gear 41 frombeing disengaged completely from drive shaft 46.

Each support 23 consists of three main parts; the upper rigid part Bl which is mounted on 'shaft 24, a middle part 52 which is carried by the upper part 61 and the lower part or car- 'rier I? which is fastened to part 62 and which -carries the impression roll IS. The upper end of part Bl has an opening 64 in which a bearing member 66 is sweated, and cam 31 of shaft 24 is journalled therein. Below bearing 6-6, part 5! merges into a hollow. shaft having a bore 61 which receives part 62. The lower end of part El increases in size to receive and support a worm gear 68 and worm H. Worm gear 68 has an elongated, internally threaded hub portion 12 and is held in place by retaining ring 13 which is fastened by screws 14 to the lower end of part 8 l; Worm gears H at opposite sides of the frame are carried by horizontal shaft 15 which is made of two parts and is connected as at H by a connection similar to that used on shaft 24. On the outer end of shaft 16, a crank 18 is nonrotatably connected thereto for a purpose to be later described. Middle section 62 engaged in the threaded hub 72 of worm gear 88 is threaded except at its lower end boss 19- which is received between ears 8i and 82 of carrier I1. Boss 19 'and ears BI and 82 have aligned holes through which a pin 83 is inserted to pivotally connect part 62 to carrier IT. A pivotal connection is necessary to permit of angular movement of parts 6! and 62 relative to parts I! during adjustment of rotatable cams 31.

Carriers H have impression roll [6 rotatably mounted thereon, and also rotatably support the *opposite ends of idler rollers 86, 81 and 88 which -rotate freely about horizontal axes; 'Another eral rolls as illustrated in Figure 3 in which the :printing roll and impression roll are shown in operative position.

Each carrier I! has rigidly secured thereto a bearing bracket 93 for rotatably supporting opposite ends of roller 86. A vertically extending bearing bracket 94 having upper and lower journals for receiving one of the ends of idler rollers 8! and 8B is also rigidly secured to each carrier 4 I! on the opposite side of the printing couple from roller 86. A further horizontal idler roller 95 is mounted between frame members ll above roller 89.

The arrangement is such that Web portion 9! leaving roller 86 is substantially parallel to and moving in the same direction during printing as the web portion 92 between rollers 89 and 88. Here web portions 9! and 92 are parallel and vertical. Web W is passed beneath roller 89, vertically upward at 92, over the top of roller 88 and downwardly beneath roller 81 into the printing couple.

When it is desired to begin a printing operation and after web W has been threaded about the various rolls as indicated, the first step necessary is the adjustment of the printing pressure in the printing couple formed by the printing roll and the impression roll. This is accomplished by turning handle 28 which rotates shaft 16 and worms H turn worm gears 88 whereby the internal threads on hubs 72 of worm gears 6-8 forces threaded shafts 82 upwardly or downwardly depending upon the direction of rotation of handle 18. As shafts 62 are connected to carriers l1 which support the impression roll l6, movement of shafts 82 is transmitted to carriers [1 and the impression roll mounted thereon is either moved closer to or away from the printing roll to increase or decrease the printing pressure as may be desired.

It may later become necessary before the web has been completely printed to move the impression roll away from the printing roll in order to inspect or clean the printing roll without disturbing the printing pressure or the tension on the web and to return the web to exact printing registry with the printing roll when the rolls are returned to operative position. Impression roll l8 may be quickly separated from printing roll l3 without changing the printing pressure adjustment by rotating hand lever 42 in either direction. Rotation through one half a revolution of shaft 24 causes earns 37 to raise supports 23 thereby quickly separating the impression roll from the printing roll. An optional manner of raising the impression roll is to connect motor 43 to drive shaft 24 by manipulation of clutch knob 56.

Since the web portions 9| and 92 are vertical and parallel, and carrier 11 moves vertically when impression roll 16 is raised, idler rollers 86, 81 and 88 will always maintain their relative positions to the impression roll, and any slack in web W is taken up by increase in the length of the web portion at 92 due to the fact that idler roll 89 is on frame members H and idler roll 88 moves relatively thereto with carriers l1.

' A impression roll I 8 is raised, assuming web W to be under tension from the feed and take-up apparatus, roller 88 moves vertically upwardly along web portion 9! and there is thus a tendency for slack to form in web portion 9| and on one side of the printing couple. On the other side of th printing couple, upward movement of roller 88 with the impression roll tends to take up this slack by increasing the length of the vertical web portion 9-2 between rollers 88 and 89, a distance equal to the vertical movement of roller 86. Above roller 89, the Web does not move when impression roll I 6- is raised.

Hence, when impression roll I6 is raised, the web is maintained under existing tension between rollers 86 and 89, the slack tending to form at one side of the couple being taken up at the otherside of the couple. When the impress operating motor.

.of frame I I9.

pression roll is returned into printing position, the length of web between rollers 86 and '89 is redistributed to the position shown in Figure 3, thereby becoming automatically registered with the printing roll. The web is maintained under tension at all times so that it is entirely under control for restoring registration.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings, the web guiding roller 86 of Figures 1 and 3 is in the form of a cylinder 06 receiving steam or other heating medium for the purpose of drying the printed web. This cylinder is journalled at its ends in suitable bearings, mounted in brackets 9'! secured rigidly to the respective vertically movable carriers I 'I for the impression roll I6.

The cylinder 96 and a similar pre-heating cylinder 98' for the web are positively driven or rotated at a speed synchronized with the movement of the paper web through the press by the The cylinder 98 is suitably mounted and supported between and upon the horizontal beams or rails 99 secured upon the upper ends of the side frame members II. To one end of the cylinder 88 a large diameter drive sprocket I is secured and is driven by the chain IOI connected with a relatively small diameter sprocket I02 fixed to one end of a shaft I 03 journalled in a cylindrical housing I04 formed upon a bracket member I05 rigidly bolted to one vertical edge face of one of the vertical frame members I I. With shaft I03 the press operating motor (not shown) is suitably connected. Within the housing I04, a beveled gear I06 is fixed to the shaft I03 and is in constant mesh with a similar gear I01 fixed to one end of the stub shaft I08 which is coupled at its other end by sleeve I09 with an axially aligned shaft H0 extending horizontally across the outer side of frame member I I.

To the other vertical edge face of frame member II a bracket III is also secured and carries a cylindrical housing I I2. A second stub shaft II3 journalled in one side of this cylinder is coupled by sleeve II4 to the other end of shaft I I0. Within the cylinder I I2, the shaft I I3 carries the beveled gear I I 5 in constant mesh with the similar gear IIB fixed to one end of the shaft II! journalled in a cylindrical boss 'I I8 projecting inwardly from the bracket III and through one of the vertical side members of a dryer frame H9. The shaft I I! at its other end has a chain driving sprocket I20 suitably fixed thereto, Upon a stud shaft I2I fixed in the side member of frame II9 an idler sprocket I22 is journalled for free rotation and is axially positioned in the plane of the sprocket I20 by the spacer sleeve I23.

Below the idler sprocket I22, a web guiding roller I24 is mounted between the side members Additional guide rollers I25 are preferably also mounted between said frame members above the bracket I I I.

One of the mounting brackets 9'! for cylinder 96 is provided at the top thereof with an upstanding flange I 26 to which the lower end of an arm I 2'! extending vertically upward therefrom is securely bolted as at I28. In the upper end of this arm a stud shaft 229 is suitably fixed and upon said shaft a chain tensioning sprocket I30 is mounted for free rotation and disposed in the common vertical plane of the sprocket members I20 and I22, and it will be noted that the opposed peripheral portions of the sprockets I20 and I30 are in substantial vertical alignment,

drying cylinder 96.

' cylinder.

with the sprocket I30 spaced vertically above the sprocket I20.

At the inner side of arm I21 and in the vertical plane of sprockets I20, I22 and I30, a large diameter sprocket I3I is fixed to one end of the The drive chain I32 engaged with this sprocket extends upwardly from the outer side thereof over the idler sprocket I22, then downwardly around the driven sprocket I20 and upwardly therefrom over the tensioning sprocket I30 and thence downwardly to the inner side of sprocket I3 I.

It will be evident from the above description that in normal press operation, rotation will be transmitted from shaft IIO to the chain drive sprocket I20, in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 5 of the drawings, and chain I32 is positively driven to rotate the drying cylinder 98 in the direction of movement of the printed web and in peripheral contact with the unprinted side thereof. The sprocket and gear ratios are such that the peripheral speed of rotation of the cylinders and 98 is accurately synchronized with the movement of the paper web through the press.

When it is desired to inspect the printing cylinder, the impression roll I3 together with tensioning rollers 87 and 88 and the drying cylinder 95 are lifted vertically upward inxthe manner above explained. Thus sprocket I30 mounted on the upper end of arm I21 will be correspondingly moved upwardly with respect to the now stationary chain driving sprocket I20, it being understood of course that operation of the press motor has been stopped. In this upward movement of sprocket I30, it will freely rotate in a clockwise direction on the stud shaft I29 sothat the length of the chain section extending between said sprocket and the stationary sprocket I20 will be increased, thereby taking up slack which would otherwise form in the chain I 32 below the cylinder 95.

As the cylinder moves upwardly relative to the chain it will be slightly rotated in the clockwise direction on the chain which is held stationary by drive sprocket I20. Since impression roll I0 and guide rollers 3i and 88 move upwardly relative to stationary roller 89 the web W will be drawn inwardly against the periphery of cylinder 9'5 and follow the upward movement thereoi In the return or downward movement of the impression roll and drying cylinder a counterclockwise movement of the cylinder and web will occur. Thus in the vertical movement of cylinder 96 in each direction relative sliding movement between the cylinder and web is prevented so that the Web surface will not be scratched or marred. ,1:

It will thus be clearthat a substantially con stant uniform tension is maintained upon the drive chain for the drying cylinder as well as upon the paper web in the vertical movement of the impression roll and drying cylinder to and from operative position with respect to the printing It will of course be apparent that the chain drive units for the drying cylinders of a battery of presses may be interconnected with each other and gear I03 and driven by a single motor.

embodiments are therefore to be considered in .all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.- the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by the United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a web printing press, a printing roll, an impression roll and a web drying cylinder mounted and arranged for unitary movement to and from operative position relative to the printing roll, means for rotating said cylinder comprising an endless chain, a power driven sprocket engaged with one side of said chain, spaced idler sprockets engaged with the opposite side of said chain, one of said idler sprockets being mounted in axially fixed position relative to the driving sprocket, and means at a point spaced from said driving sprocket in the direction of movement of said cylinder away from said printing roll mounting the other idler sprocket for unitary movement with the impression roll and drying cylinder to maintain said chain under substantially constant tension during such movement.

2. In a web printing press, a frame, a printing cylinder mounted in said frame, an impression cylinder, a slide supporting said impression cylinder for linear movement in the frame toward and from the printing cylinder, and means defining the web path through the press between said printing and impression cylinders, comprising a first idler roller mounted on a fixed axis in the frame around which the web enters the press, a second idler roller mounted on said slide for movement therewith and having its axis disposed in parallel relation to the axis of said first idler roller and spaced therefrom in the direction of movement of the impression cylinder away from the printing cylinder such that the plane of the web between said first and second idler rollers is substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the slide, the web extending from said first roller around said second roller and thence between the printing and impression cylinders, the first and second idler rollers contacting opposite sides of the web, whereby constant uniform tension of the web is maintained in the movement of the impression cylinder relative to the printing cylinder.

3. In a web printing press, a frame, an axially fixed printing roll mounted in said frame, an impression roll, an idler roll, a web drying cylinder, common means slidably mounting said impression roll, said idler roll and said cylinder on said frame for unitary movement toward and away from said printing roll, an endless loop driving element for said cylinder, the respective paths of said web and said driving element each having a predetermined length when said impression roll is in operative relation with respect to said printing roll, and separate axially fixed means mounted in said frame and respectively interposed in the paths of said web and said element to maintain the respective paths at said predetermined lengths throughout the range of movement of said mounting means.

4. In a web printing press, a frame, a printing roll mounted on said frame, a slide movable on said frame to and away from said printing roll, first and second idler rolls and an impression roll mounted in fixed relation for unitary movement with said slide, said impression roll and printing roll defining a web printing pass, said idler rolls being arranged in such spaced parallel relation that the planes of the web on its infeed run toward said slide and its outfeed run from said slide are substantially parallel to the direction of slide movement to form a web path having oppositely facing open ended loops whereby when said slide is moved with relation to said printing roll, the length of one loop is increased and the length of the oppositely facing loops is decreased thereby maintaining the web path at constant length and the web at substantially constant tension.

5. The printing press of claim 4 together with means for moving said impression cylinder relative to said slide.

6. In a web printing press having a frame, a printing roll mounted on said frame, an impression roll coacting therewith to define a web printing pass, means mounting said impression roll for movement to and away from said printing roll, a pair of web guiding rolls positioned on said mounting means respectively at opposite sides of the axis of said impression roll, first and second web guides on said frame in such spaced parallel relation to said web guiding rolls that the infeed and cutfeed Web runs between such rolls and guides are substantially parallel to the direction of movement of said mounting means, said web passing over said impression roll between said guiding rolls in an upwardly facing open ended loop and over said one of said guiding rolls between said impression roll and one of said web guides in a downwardly facing open ended loop whereby when said means is moved relative to said printing roll, the length of one loop is increased and the length of the oppositely facing loop is decreased thereby maintaining the web path at substantially constant length.

7. In a web printing press having a frame, a printing roll mounted on said frame, a slide mounted on said frame for movement toward and away from said printing roll, a drying cylinder mounted on said slide, an endless loop flexible driving element for said drying cylinder, coacting means on said frame and said slide contacting said flexible driving element operable when said slide is moved away from said printing roll to maintain said driving element at substantially constant tension and to rotate said cylinderin a direction to-feed said web in a predetermined amount toward said impression roll, and coacting roller means on said slide and said frame con tacting said web to feed said web away from said impression roll in' said predetermined amount during movement of said slide from said printing roll to thereby maintain-said web at substantially constant tension during movement of said slide with respect to said frame.

8. In a web printing press, a frame, a printing roll rotatably mounted on said frame, a slide mounted for: movement on said frame in a trans latory path normal-to the axis of said printing roll, an impression roll journalled on said slide about an axis parallel to that of said printing roll, infeed and outfeed web guide structure defining oppositely extending web runs leading toward and from said slide and which are both parallel to the direction of slide movement whereby a web fed through said web guide structure the axis of said printing roll, first and second web guiding rolls and an impression roll disposed therebetween journalled on said slide about spaced axes parallel to that of said printing roll, a third web guiding roll journalled on said frame about an axis parallel to those of said rolls and in spaced relation from said first Web guiding roll in the direction of movement of said slide toward said printing roll such that a web run between said first and third web guiding rolls is substantially parallel to the direction of slide movement, a fourth web guiding roll journalled on said frame about an axis parallel to those of said rolls and spaced relation from said second web guiding roll in the direction of movement of said slide from said printing roll such that a web run between said second and fourth web guiding rolls is substantially parallel to the direction of slide movement whereby a web which is fed through said rolls in a path extending seriatirn from said fourth guiding roll around said second guiding roll, between said impression and printing rolls, around said first roll to said third guiding roll will be maintained under uniform tension throughout the movement of said slide in its path.

10. In a web printing press, a printing roll, an impression roll and a web feeding roll mounted and arranged for unitary movement to and from an operative position relative to the printing roll. means for rotating said web feeding roll comprising an endless chain, a power driven sprocket engaged with one side of said chain, spaced idler sprockets engaged with the opposite side of said chain, one of said idler sprockets being mounted in axially fixed position relative to the driving sprocket, and means at a point spaced from said driving sprocket in the direction of movement of said web feeding roll away from said printing roll mounting the other idler sprocket for unitary movement with the impression roll and web feeding roll to maintain said chain under substantially constant tension during such movement.

11. In a web printing press, a frame, an axially fixed printing roll mounted in said frame, an impression roll, an idler roll, a web feeding roll, common means slidably mounting said impression roll, said idler roll and said Web feeding roll on said frame for unitary movement toward and away from said printing roll, an endless loop driving element for said web feeding roll, the respective paths of said Web and said driving element each having a predetermined length when said impression roll is in operative relation with respect to said printing roll, and separate axially fixed means mounted in said frame and respectively interposed in the paths of said web and said element to maintain the respective paths at said predetermined lengths throughout the range or" movement of said mounting means.

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